Lea Michele has thanked her boyfriend Matthew Paetz for ''making her smile again''.

The 28-year-old 'Glee' star - whose former boyfriend Cory Monteith died two years ago, aged 31 - posted a snap of her and the 30-year-old model kissing her, as she leaned back laughing on Instagram, along with a birthday message thanking him for ''bringing such a bright joy into my every day''.

Lea wrote: ''Matthew, thank you for bringing such happiness into my life. For making me smile again and bringing such a bright joy into my every day... Thank you for loving me and my family... And of course Sheila too.. May this be the happiest Birthday ever! (sic)''

Lea recently paid tribute to her fellow 'Glee' star and former love on what would have been his 33rd birthday.

The actress - who dated Cory from November 2011 until his untimely death from an overdose in July 2013 - paid tribute to him on her Twitter account where she shared a heartfelt message alongside a photograph of him playing the drums.

Lea wrote: ''I know you're serenading everyone right now...We love you Cory! Happy birthday (sic).''

While Lea will most likely never be over Cory's tragic death, she is reportedly desperate to tie the knot with Matthew after recently celebrating their one year anniversary, and dropped some major hints at Nikki Reed and Ian Somerhalder's romantic wedding in Malibu late last month.